Providing support
This theme focuses on how we provide support ensuring its flexible and supports choice and continuity and how we work in partnership with others to achieve this.
Care provision, integration and continuity
Meaningful care and support
Supporting providers
During the last 12 months Coventry’s (Care Homes and Community Based Adult Social Care services) Care Quality Commissioning (CQC) ratings have remained relatively stable. We have seen a slight reduction in the amount of providers rated ‘good’ but we have also seen a reduction in the amount of providers identified as ‘inadequate’.
The Joint Health and Social Care Quality Assurance Team work with operational colleagues to ensure the safety of individuals in receipt of support, including where provision was rated as ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires Improvement’.
Recruitment and retention Recruitment and retention in the workforce has it’s challenges. We try and take a proactive approach to encouraging recruitment and work with providers long-term to support retention of staff. Over the course of the year the Commissioning Team supported a number of different events working with the Migration Team, Coventry City College, the Job Shop, Library and the Job Centre+. The event at Job Centre+ brought in over 500 attendees, with people having informal interviews and opportunities to develop their career in Adult Social Care.
Skills for Care data 2023 to 2024 (2024 to 2025 data not available yet) evidences the positive impact and influence our approach is having across the provider market in Coventry. The lower turnover rate supports our aim of improving consistency of care for people, consistency of care was a key factor for people we engaged with about home support services. The lower vacancy rates, also reduces the need for agency staff, and again supports our aim of improving consistency of care across the sector.
Staff turnover rate in Coventry was 23.8%, which was lower than the region average of 26.7% and England at 24.8%.
The Commissioning Team continue to support providers with recruitment using a different range of approaches from workshops to explore recruitment and retention to working with our partners to onboard staff.
Provider forums
Provider forums are an important way of fostering partnership working between different providers, sharing the challenges of running care provision but also new ideas, approaches and providing mutual support to one another. The Commissioning Team hold regular provider forums, for mental health, home support, learning disabilities provision, care homes and housing with care.
Market Place events
Coventry is a diverse, changing city with lots of fabulous organisations that all work to improve the lives of Coventry residents, but one thing we often get told is that it’s hard to keep on top of what’s going on in the city. This year, continuing the success of last year’s event we held two sessions in May and November 2024. Both sessions were incredibly busy, an opportunity for staff and volunteers to find out more about organisations in the city. It also proved a great opportunity for networking and wider collaboration amongst organisations.
Katie – A new start with Shared Lives
Shared Lives is a Scheme that recruits and approves Carers from all walks of life. The Scheme’s expertise is in introducing and matching individuals who are assessed as having social care needs with approved Shared Lives Carers who invite individuals into their family homes to share their lives.
Katie’s story highlights how co-production and being introduced to the right carer and family really can be life changing. Katie is a vibrant young woman who is full of joy and enthusiasm for life. Katie is registered blind and uses technology to her advantage, learning to read Stage 2 Braille at the age of 5. Katie was first introduced to the Scheme by her social worker who has worked with the Scheme previously and is aware of its values and philosophies.
Katie has always lived with her mum Sue, who remains as supportive as ever and supports Katie with her life choices. It was a huge decision for them to explore alternative support which was initially some respite with Shared Lives. When Katie was introduced to Shared Lives Carer Lucy, Katie said
“I just knew it was right, Lucy was so warm and caring, I could tell by the way she spoke to me I would like it here, she welcomed me into her home like family. I wanted to move in straight away.”
To ensure the placement was right, Katie had many visits to Lucy's home, firstly for drinks and to meet all the family, eventually staying overnight and for weekends.
Lucy was honest, she had not supported someone with a severe visual impairment before and she told us:
“I want to be the best support that I can and Katie has supported me in my journey of supporting her”.
It soon became clear to Lucy, her biggest asset for learning was going to be Katie. Lucy said,
“Katie showed me the support she needed, she was the one guiding me”.
Katie agreeing, stating “together we make a great team”. As the introductions continued it really was the perfect match.
Katie is someone who relies on people’s voices and always thought Lucy’s voice was very kind. Katie’s Mum Sue, who gets very emotional talking about Katie’s introduction, because of how lucky they feel,
“Lucy and her family are now like my family, we get on so well, we really couldn’t have found anyone better.”
Sue says:
“I am so happy for Katie’s future, it gives me peace of mind, that Katie now has someone who will care for her as I do.” Katie also added “Mum can now spend time on herself, I like to know that.”
As always it was vital that we got everything right and the only way of doing that was to really understand how Katie needed her support with regards to her sight and keeping Katie central in the person-centred planning. Katie led on her non negotiables, her likes and dislikes and how best to promote her independence, maintaining her activities including day services, yoga, and space for her meditation.
Before respite began, we sought guidance from the Adult Social Care Visual and Hearing Rehabilitation Team who suggested a couple of simple but really effective ideas to help Katie identify her room and the bathroom. It was suggested to put things on the door handles such as a hair band on one and something different on the other and this worked brilliantly. Lucy also arranged for a home visit from West Midlands Fire Service who offered guidance in the case of a fire or emergency. Respite arrangements soon became a long-term placement with Shared Lives.
Sue said,
“I had cared for everyone else but not for me”
Katie moving in with Lucy has meant that:
“I have quality time for myself and still see Katie, I’m not as stressed anymore and feel I now have a more natural relationship with Katie”.
Sue told us that it has been a massive reassurance for her and that it has changed her life too.
Katie said:
“It has given me freedom, a fresh life and I’m so happy. It has given me quality of life, and consistency of care, and has given my mum a break and time to focus on herself, I really couldn’t be happier".
Katie wanted to sum up how she now feels, Katie said when she visits her Mum’s home, she tells her:
“this will always be my family home, but now I am going back to my home.”
Each year a Shared Lives celebration event is held, bringing carers and families together to share stories and friendships. Hear from Katie and Lucy who attended in this is this video clip about their experiences.
Shared Lives offers adults the opportunity to live with approved Carers in ordinary family homes, experiencing all the advantages, joys and sometimes difficulties of family life. If you feel you could change someone’s life whilst enhancing your own, and are interested in becoming a Shared Lives Carer, or wish to know more about the Scheme please visit our website.
Jon Reading, Head of Commissioning and Quality said:
"Maintaining and improving the quality of Adult Social Care provision in the City is a major undertaking but we are lucky to have a joint quality function with clinical input from quality nurses adding strength to our council team. We have a great set of providers who share our passion for delivering personalised and compassionate care and continue to support them through a number of recruitment initiatives. In the last year, we are proud of how we have led the way on providing support for international recruits and the invaluable role they play in supporting Adult Social Care."
Partnerships and Communities
Coventry Dementia Partnership Hub
In last year’s Annual Report, we shared information regarding the first year of the Coventry Dementia Partnership Hub, a place where people with Dementia and their families can come for information, support and engagement from pre-diagnosis onwards, with an emphasis on partnerships and promoting independence and peer support. At the heart of the Hub is a social café, offering a space for people to meet and share experiences in a welcoming and comfortable environment. The Hub was created following a series of engagement and coproduction events and this continues through the Hub’s Steering Group, supporting the development of the service with contributions from those with lived experience.
The Hub celebrates its second year anniversary in July 2025 and reflecting back over the last year, there are lots of achievements and developments to celebrate. Hear about the impact the Hub is having on people’s lives.
Graham and Hazel’s story
We first discovered the Hub through the Memory Service Team in Coventry, who invited us to attend the Next Steps Fayre in December 2024. Around the same time, my husband, Graham, began a 6-week ‘Living Well with Dementia’ course offered by the team.
Throughout the course, Graham learned practical strategies to support his memory and daily living. Just as importantly, he had the opportunity to connect with others in similar situations and share experiences. While Graham attended the sessions, I spent time in the Hub’s café, where I met other carers. A member of staff kindly gave me a tour of the building and introduced me to the wide range of services available.
One of those services was the Wednesday coffee morning, which we began attending and continue to enjoy. Graham joins a group of friends to play dominoes, while I have the chance to relax and chat with others. I’ve formed meaningful friendships with people I feel comfortable sharing my experiences and challenges with. Although each of our journeys is different, it’s comforting to speak with others who truly understand.
Over time, we’ve become part of a supportive and welcoming community. Wherever we go, Graham and I always speak highly of the Hub to help raise awareness of the incredible support it offers.
We also attended the VE Celebration Day and had a fantastic time. We were up singing and dancing, and the buffet provided by the Hub café was absolutely lovely.
The Hub means so much to both of us. It’s more than just a place - it’s a lifeline, a community, and a source of joy.
Promoting wellbeing through Art
"My name is Melanie, and I bring over 15 years of experience as a Wellbeing Coordinator in dementia care. Art plays a vital role in supporting individuals to live well with dementia. It fosters creativity, encourages communication, and has a profoundly positive impact on overall wellbeing. Each week on a Wednesday morning 10:00-12:00, we continue to see growing interest from visitors to the Hub, and the art sessions are proving to be truly exceptional. All the family would like to say thank you”.
International Recognition ‘CommonAge Report – Dementia in the Commonwealth’
In the report the Dementia Hub is referenced in connection with the co-design and coproduction approach used to create this service. This is a significant acknowledgement of how Coventry is leading the way in this field. You can read the full report on their website.
National Dementia Care Awards 2024
For the second year The Hub was recognised in the National Dementia Care Awards nominations and Ruth Chauhan won her category of “Inspirational person with dementia” for her work at The Hub. Ruth is a key member of the team and as a person living with a dementia, she really does show that you can live well with dementia. Ruth is also a member of The Hub’s Culturally Inclusive Group where the aim is to reach out to underserved communities, she volunteers her time and expertise whenever it is needed.
Ruth said:
"I couldn’t quite believe it when they announced my name as the winner. This award is for everyone who overcomes the difficulties that come with cognitive impairment. If I can inspire just one person to believe that by embracing a ‘new normal’ you can overcome anything and make a difference, then all the challenges I face every day are worth it."
Shashi Prasad (Lions Club for Coventry Godiva) was also shortlisted for the Diversity and Dementia award, which recognised Shashi’s role as chair of the Culturally Inclusive sub group which supports the Coventry Dementia Partnership Hub work.
Shashi’s role is integral to raising awareness of dementia in global majority communities, seeking to break down stigmas around dementia.
Expanding Diversity and Inclusivity
In order to promote the service to a wider community and improve inclusivity, the Hub has developed a Culturally Inclusive sub-group of the Dementia Hub Steering Group. This group is chaired by a person with lived experience who also represents a voluntary charitable organisation, Lions Club of Coventry Godiva.
The group has created culturally sensitive information and guidance, translated into the main languages used within the city. These have been distributed within diverse communities to promote within targeted audiences, including places of worship. Members of the Dementia Hub Steering Group will attend a Vaisakhi Sports Festival and Mela in May 2025 to promote the Hub and share information. The Hub has also hosted events focussing on welcoming people from South Asian communities to and learn about the services and support available. The sub-group has also created 2 video blogs in Urdu and Punjabi talking about the symptoms of dementia, how to receive a diagnosis and the support available at the Hub.
A range of tools used to tackle language barriers both in assessments and ongoing care provision has also been provided e.g. use of Alexa, flashcards. This has raised awareness of how services could meet the needs of individuals from diverse communities.
There is a newly established regular monthly ‘Information and Advice’ drop-in at the Forget-me not café based in Hub called ‘Dementia Awareness and Prevention Days’ specifically on Sundays to accommodate those who may not be able to attend during the week. These days are open to all, but promotion has been targeted towards those communities from the global majority who are not traditionally accessing services.
Running alongside this is a small project group “improving access to short term services from diverse communities” managers of short-term services meet with both the hospital team and brokerage to understand and monitor referral information. There is now a pool of staff from each short-term service who can speak a second language that enables us to better support in assessing new referrals.
The Culturally Inclusive subgroup continues to grow with representation from the Black Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Malaysian communities all working to the same aim of improving access from diverse communities.
National Lottery Funding
Following a successful bid the Hub has been awarded funding from the National Lottery for more than £280,000 over the next 5 years to support the funding of the social café and everyone involved in the Dementia Hub are delighted at the news.
The lottery funding will fund 2 café-coordinators for 5 years. The 2 café co-ordinators run the café that leads into the social space.
What’s next?
Future Developments at the Hub The team at the Hub are continuing to develop services and look for new ways to support people. Looking ahead there are a number of exciting events coming up:
- Coventry Memory Singers - A new Memory Singers group in Coventry will help people living with dementia connect with loved ones and enjoy the therapeutic, social and cognitive benefits of music. Coventry Memory Singers will take place at Dementia Hub and is open to anyone with dementia and their carers. Sessions begin in September 2025. Run by the renowned choir and music charity Armonico Consort, based in Warwick, this is the third Memory Singers group to be established, with others in Solihull and Warwick
- Bike Tour Mini Performance with James May - In conjunction with the Armonico Consort a fundraising bike tour will make a stop at the Dementia Hub in September 2025 and perform a mini concert. They will also be joined by TV personality James May and international wine expert, Oz Clarke
Lisa Lawson, Adult Services Programme Delivery Manager said:
"What an amazing year of achievement and recognition the Hub has had! The team at the Hub continue to develop and expand the service and their ability to reach more communities within the city through their dedication, innovation and love of what they do. Congratulations to all those involved and here’s to another successful year!"
For any enquiries regarding the services provided by the Coventry Partnership Dementia Hub please contact CDPH@coventry.gov.uk or telephone 024 7697 8080.